Focus On: Punch Brothers, Newport 2010

What started off as a side project for Nickel Creek's Chris Thile and some of his friends has developed into one of the most intriguing groups working in roots music today. Punch Brothers joins Thile's undisputed virtuosic mandolin playing with the talents of Noam Pikelny (banjo), Gabe Witcher (violin), Chris Eldridge (guitar) and Paul Kowert (bass) for a band that is something like a New Grass Revival for our times. These Americana young guns are taking the power of bluegrass and pushing its limits by raising it to a new, contemporary place that uses bits of everything from country and jazz to rock and classical as inspiration.

Now living and working out of New York City, the Punch Brothers members take advantage of their unexpected road to bluegrass elite to hone their sound. Thile first drew attention performing as a California pre-teen. Witcher is also a California boy, Pikelny (who broke through as a member of Leftover Salmon) was born in Illinois and Newcomer Kowert studied at the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia. Eldridge, son of banjo player Ben Eldridge from the Seldom Scene, was born in bluegrass firmament Virginia. Their latest CD is "Antifogmatic."